The soundtrack to films yet unwritten
Red Paper Dragon is certainly a surprise. Imagine, if you will, what Pelican might sound like with a decent singer. That would be a good place to start from when talking about this band; however, there is so much more going on here. Songs of Innocence is a five song collection that certainly left me wanting to hear more from this band.
The opening track “Polar Bear” opens the EP innocently enough with quiet guitar reminiscent of Mogwai or perhaps Explosions in the Sky. When the guitars kick in, the song really lifts off. The next few sections are very much like a lost ISIS track with the gigantic guitars kicking and then spiraling down into a tense, quieter part only to come roaring back in to come to an abrupt halt.
“If Not Now, When?” rolls out of the end of the previous track with four minutes or so of steadily increasing dynamics, as if setting a mood for an unseen film. The track continues to build and switch gears, shifting tempos and feels many times without losing cohesiveness.
The middle track, “Fear of Falling,” picks up the pace with Red Paper Dragon exhibiting a Helmet-like sound with a start-stop riff sure to bring back memories of the early 90’s. They manage to pull it off without sounding dated or like they lifted the riff straight from any one tune. “Fear of Falling” soon lumbers its way to a quiet, contemplative midsection rife with clean guitars, laid back drums and a withdrawn, lonely feel. Just when the feel seems to be wearing thin, the guitars crash back in, propelling the song onwards to the end.
“…Happens for a Reason” hearkens back to the sound of early 90’s bands with the long, quiet intro that ends up being half the song. Once the tune kicks in, it then proceeds to shift and change, making excellent use of dynamics. “Tidal” rounds out this EP another long, quiet intro that leads up to a very Pelican-like heavy groove.
Red Paper Dragon is definitely a band to keep an eye on if you’re into sonic soundscapes and swirling imagery to films that don’t even exist. This is not an indie band nor is it a heavy band. This is just damn good music.
| Reviewer: Dave Warren Added: December 12th 2007 |
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